Garage-door closer



Sept.16, 1930. K. A. BRAUNING GARAGE DOOR CLOSER Filed Nov. 12, 1927 Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UITED STATES KARL A. BRAUNING', OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT GARAGE-DOOR CLOSER Application filed November 12, 1927. Serial No. 232,858.

The object of this invention is to devise a garage door closing mechanism which will operate to close the garage doors auto-matically upon a slight initial manual operation.

A further object is to devise a. slight addition to a garage door assembly equipped with door holding devices whereby an automatic door closing operation may be obtained.

lVhile I have disclosed hereafter a particular embodiment of my invention, I want it understood that I do not desire to be limited to the same, since modifications of my invention will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of my garage door assembly; Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a cam device used to initiate the door closing operation.

My assembly includes two doors 1 and 1A shown in open position. Each of these doors is equipped with door holding devices 2, which are pivoted at point 3 on each door and which rest by gravity on a stationary memher 4 having a perforation 5 through which the holding devices 2 are adapted to slide. These members 2 are equipped with notches 6 which cooperate with the stationary members -to hold the doors in open position. The stationary members 4 are fixed to the door frame A.

Each door is equipped with a weight mechanism 7 which is adapted to close the particular door to which it is attached. For convenience, only one of these weight mechanisms is shown. This mechanism operates through the cord 8, pulleys 9 and 10 and spring 11. The spring is used for a purpose to be hereafter explained.

The door 1 is not equipped with a locking device but is held locked by the door 1A because of the relation of the bevels on the doors (not shown). The door 1A is equipped with spring latch bolts 12 controlled by the wires 13 leading to a lock cont-rolled handle assembly 141. This locking arrangement is merely exemplary and any usual type may be substituted.

The function of the spring 11 is to give a resilent closing action and an additional impulse to overcome any slight frictional resistance at the finish of the closing movement of the doors. Thus, if the doors in moving to closing position do not readily reach their final position due to some friction, the weight will tend to stretch the spring due to the y halting movement of the door. This stretching of the spring and its subsequent retraction gives the necessary final impulse to move the door to a fully closed position.

In order to initiate the closing movement of the door, I provide a lever and cam device which consists of a long rod 15 having secured to the top thereof a cam 16. This cam has a surface 17 which has a constant curvature for a portion of its periphery and has a tangential portion 17*. A lever 18 is pivoted at 19 on the door and has a portion 20 cooperating with a chain 21 secured to the holding member 2 at the left of its pivot 3.

The cam 16 is mounted on the pivot 22 the frameA. This rod carries a contact member 27 for a purpose to be explained.

When the doors are open in the position of Fig. 1, the chauffeur may back his car out of the garage. As he comes out he grasps the rod 15 and holds the same so as to move it to the left'to position B as the car is moved entirely out of the garage.

As this is being done the arm 18 will ride on the surface 17 of the cam. The rod is then released and due to its weight it will move in a pendulum fashion to position C. The surface 17A will cam the left portion of lever 18 upwardly and force the portion 20 downwardly. This will cause chain 21 to move holder arm 2 from holding position in the manner previously described. The weight 7 will immediately act to close the door 1. As it moves to closing position it will strike member 27 which will cause the cam 24 to lift the holding arm 2 of door 1A, The Weight I acting on that door will cause it to close behind door 1 and its latches 12 Will lock the garage doors. 1 4 7 While I have shown a particular type of holding device I Want it distinctly understood that I do not Wish to be limited to the use of the same since almost. any type of holding-device may be. substituted into the] combination. I claim c 1; A door securing assembly including au holding device and a release mechanism adapted to render said holding device inoper f ative, said release mechanism including a 2. A-door securing assembly including a V ative, said release mechanism including a pendulum. rod mounted on thedoor, said rod being adapted, When given a slight initial movement in one direction, to move in a reverse direction by gravitational force,'and additional means constituting said 'release said pendulum onits l 1 reverse movementy y 3; A door securing assembly including'a mechanism actuated by holding device, a release mechanismffor' rendering said-holding device inoperative i'Iicluding a lever,"a camior actuating said lever,

I operable from the inside of the door. 7

and a pendulum 'rodadapted vhen given an 7 initial movement in one direction, to move by 1ts oWn Weight In a reversedirectlon to actuate said jcam, said pendulumrod being '4. A-- door securing assembly including a door holding device adapted to hold the do r H l J in open position, release means adaptedto I renderfsaid holdingde'vice inoperative, to r permit thedoor to-move to closedlposition, j

said release means; comprising manually ac vice being arrangedto be moved manuallyfin ev s Signed one direction, and to be released for automatlc' movement 111" a'rreverse direction, and adCll tlOllal means constituting said release I mechanism fadaptedfto be actuated'by the au tomaticfmovement of said manually actuated 1 (I A 'B Au Nc at Stamford,-" fiii: the r 1 'Fairfield and Stateof connecticuuthis'10th I 

